Testing+&+Assessment

//** Charles Low wrote: Gentlemen, I expect you to cover areas such as: - what is assessment? - purpose of assessment - normative vs summative assessment - the different ways/modes of assessment - strengths & weaknesses of the different modes of assessment **//

Pls finish this up by Thu 2 July (3 pm)
Email me at //**charles@hc.edu.sg**// //**when you are done Thank you**//

What is assessment?
Assessment means literally "//to sit beside and observe".//

In the context of classrooms, assessment is the systematic and ongoing process of collecting, describing and analyzing information about student progress and achievement in relation to curriculum expectations and the achievement chart.

Assessment may be normative or summative.

Normative vs. Summative Assessment


 * Summative assessment** refers to the assessment of the learning and summarizes the development of learners at a particular time. After a period of work, e.g. a unit for two weeks, the learner sits for a test and then the teacher marks the test and assigns a score. The test aims to summarize learning up to that point. The test may also be used for diagnostic assessment to identify any weaknesses and then build on that using normative assessment. (assignments, tests)


 * Normative assessment** is a self-reflective process that intends to promote student attainment. Students mark their own work and are encouraged to raise questions about the assessment and the material covered by the assessment.

-->**Direct and Immediate Feedback-** Results of formative assessments are produced “on the spot;” teachers and students get them immediately. Teachers get a view of both individual and class performances while students learn how well they have done.

-->**Structured Information -** Teachers can judge success and plan improvements based on the formative results. Students can see progress and experience success. Both teachers and students learn from the assessment results.

-->**Ways to Improve -** Summarized formative results provide a basis for the teacher to re-visit topics in the unit if necessary. Individual student responses provide a basis for giving students additional experiences in areas where they performed less well.

In short, Normative assessment is the process of learning, asking and gaining more knowledge. It is the process of promoting the abilities of a student. Summative assessment is then given to the student in the form of tests, or quiz, to summarize the development of the student, and he is given a grade. Summative assessment aims to summarize the learning of the learner.

media type="youtube" key="7YcJiEvbakA" height="344" width="425"

This is a video on summative and formative (normative) assessment. It applies not only for English, but all subjects. Enjoy

**What is the purpose of assessment?**
The purpose of assessment is for the student to receive multiple attempts to practice and to demonstrate understanding of content and to develop skills by receiving specific and timely feedback by the teacher in order to achieve improvement. The primary purpose of assessment is for the teacher to analyze student progress for the purpose of modifying and refining the teaching/learning cycle to better meet student needs.

**Different methods of Tests - Project based final exam**

 * Ohlone College**- Prepare the curriculum and the course syllabus to a project based final exam. Assign a project such as case study or critical thinking.

Built motivation among students. Creates excitement, passion and hobby into dynamic learning experiences. Students will be able to examine their actions, learn how to interact with each other and what it takes to succeed in the real world.

Project based final exam will help students in analyzing, brainstorming and creating solutions for different problems. It gives students a sense of ownership and leadership.

Other methods of Tests - laptop based exam project

 * Norway-** The government in Norway is giving out laptops to 16-year-old students to help them with their everyday schoolwork. Now, some 6,000 students are involved in a trial to use these laptops to take their final exams. If successfully, the plan could be rolled out across the country.

One element that is pivotal to the success of the laptop exams is an application that incorporates keylogging and screen capture capabilities, as well as preventing the laptops from accessing the Internet.

The idea is that while applications such as spellcheckers are acceptable, more sophisticated software--such as a translation program--would be prohibited. Students caught cheating immediately fail the test--as with paper-based exams.

Other methods of Tests - Computer based exams

 * ACCA (Association of Chartered Certified Accountants)-** The content of the computer-based and paper-based exams are similar, although the same questions will not appear in both formats. Questions in both formats of the exam are written to correspond with the syllabus and students should expect to see questions covering all aspects of the syllabus in both paper-based and computer-based exams.

Both the computer-based and paper-based exams comprise 50 questions, 40 of the questions are worth two-marks and 10 are worth one mark. The computer-based version is automatically generate so that each candidate gets a different set of questions, whereas the written exam is made up of a pre-selected set of questions.

The main difference in deciding which format to complete is that computer-based exams have the advantage of being available at any time of the year and give instant results at the end of the exam.